nighean

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Irish

Noun

nighean f (genitive singular nighne, nominative plural nighneacha)

  1. Superseded spelling of níon: Ulster form of iníon

Declension

Declension of nighean (second declension)
bare forms
case singular plural
nominative nighean nighneacha
vocative a nighean a nighneacha
genitive nighne nighneacha
dative nighean nighneacha
forms with the definite article
case singular plural
nominative an nighean na nighneacha
genitive na nighne na nighneacha
dative leis an nighean
don nighean
leis na nighneacha

Further reading

Scottish Gaelic

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old Irish ingen, from Primitive Irish ᚔᚅᚔᚌᚓᚅᚐ (inigena), from Proto-Celtic *enigenā, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én (in) + *ǵenh₁- (produce, give birth) (compare Latin indigena (native), Ancient Greek ἐγγόνη (engónē, granddaughter)).

Pronunciation

Noun

nighean f (dative singular nighinn, genitive singular nighinn or nighinne or ìghne, plural nigheanan or nigheannan or nighnean or ìghnean)

  1. daughter, female offspring
  2. girl
  3. maiden, young woman
    Synonyms: ainnir, cailin, gruagach, maighdeann, òigh, rìbhinn
    An cluinn thu mi, mo nighean donn?Will you listen to me, my brown-haired girl?

Derived terms